1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooking utensils, and more specifically to a dual-spatula tong system with adjustably separated handles, blade-like cutting edges along the spatulas, and tines extending from the front edge of one spatula. The tines slide between and beyond the bars of a barbeque grill permitting the user to more effectively slide under and lift a grilling piece of food as the sharpened grooves between the tines scrape the grill clean as it's being used.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many cooking utensils utilizing tongs in the prior art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,323 issued to Armand A. Kaiser on Feb. 11, 1997 describes a cooking tong apparatus for handling food items on a grill, the cooking tong apparatus having first and second jaws disposed in opposing gripping engagement, wherein the jaws open and close in a vertical direction and each jaw has a plurality of tines that are properly spaced apart and sized to fit between standard cross members of a grill. The cooking tong apparatus has first and second handles which lie in a substantially horizontal plane, allowing a user to operate cooking tong apparatus in a manner which is most comfortable for the users hand and wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,365 issued to James A. Rader on Jan. 11, 1977 describes tongs for handling food items upon a grill in which the food gripping parts of the tongs are displaced laterally as well as apart when opened to enable the user of the tongs to see the food item as it is being gripped by the tongs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,775 issued to Leonard E. Boyd on Jun. 22, 1976 teaches a set of tongs for grasping material utilizing a pair of jaws and a pair of handles correspondingly affixed to the jaws. The handles include hand grips on the ends distal from the jaws and removably pivoted to one another. The jaws have a plurality of tines with lateral extensions to reduce the space between the tines. In addition, the tines may include inward protrusions to stabilize the material grasped by the tongs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,468 issued on Jan. 2 1968 discloses food turning tongs that utilize a unique form of upper and lower gripping means which are substantially parallel to each other when in food pattie holding or turning position, with these upper and lower members each having substantially parallel end portions of rod-like form with the end portions of the upper member being substantially symmetrical with the lower and approximately in alignment with same. The bottom of the lower end portions are preferably chamfered, and the end portions of the upper members sinuous in an up and down direction with a turned-down gripping portion at the free end of same. Said turned-down gripping portion preferably has a turned-up point at its outer end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,779 issued on Oct. 26, 1965 shows a spatula which permits placing the prongs between the wires or rods of the grill and prying and sliding the food onto the flat surface. It does not cut up the food and, at the same time, the prongs of the spatula permit the grease to drain from the meat or other food. Knife edges are formed on each side of the spatula. These knife edges can be used in cooperation with the spatula function of the device to cut meat or other food loose from the grill or griddle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,892,655 issued on Jun. 30, 1959 describes frankfurter tongs that are over 24 inches long in order to prevent the user from getting burned when cooking over an open fire. Since this is unwieldy to carry and difficult to store, the tongs can fold to approximately one half the length thereof when in use. The improved tongs for handling frankfurters include a pair of tong members which are pivotally mounted on a pivot bolt, a pair of handles which are also pivotally, mounted on the pivot bolt for pivoting independently of the tong members whereby the handles may be disposed generally coaxial with the tong members, and means on the tong members in the form of extensions releasably interlocked with the handles whereby the handles may be selectively used to operate the tong members or swung to stored positions coaxial with the tong members.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,484,100 issued to James C. Wertz on Nov. 1 1920 discloses cinder tongs having two arms pivoted to each other, each arm having spaced apart inwardly curved claws, two handles respectively pivoted to said arms and pivoted to each other, one of the handles on its inner side having a transverse groove, and a u-shaped spring having one of its arms tightly fitted in said groove and having its other arm bearing against the inner side of the other handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 749,110 issued to John H. Spangler on Jan. 5, 1904 shows household tongs comprising a pair of handles towards the one end of each of which is pivotally secured one or more gripping tongs or tines. Theses tongs or tines are carried on shanks having their rear ends slidably connected to the handles. Means is preferably a spring interposed between the handles for normally holding the tongs or tines in the open position.